The Federal Republic of Nigeria officials Mr. Kigbu and Mrs. Jimeta who are Directors of Youth in the Ministry of Youth Affairs visited CYP Africa from 17-20 march, 2009.
Federal Republic of Nigeria officials visit CYP Africa
20 March 2009
The Federal Republic of Nigeria officials Mr. Kigbu and Mrs. Jimeta who are Directors of Youth in the Ministry of Youth Affairs visited CYP Africa from 17-20 march, 2009 to hold bilateral discussion in preparation for the Regional Senior Government Officials and Regional Youth Caucus (RYC) Meeting to be held latter in the year. The meeting has been scheduled for October 2009, in Abuja. The date is yet to be confirmed. The meeting’s aim is to monitor the progress of youth development delivery as agreed during the 2007 Regional Advisory Board Meeting in Seychelles as well as provide an opportunity for skills development for young people and Youth Development practitioners.
The discussion accorded Nigeria and CYP Africa an opportunity to examine in a very profound way some of the challenges facing youth in the Africa region and further discuss areas of collaboration between Nigeria and the CYP.
The Ministry of Youth affairs in Nigeria was established in 2007, and within two years the ministry has planned and implemented a number of youth development programmes. The ministry wishes to collaborate with CYP Africa in the area of youth mainstreaming. Youth issues should be mainstreamed across various sectors and line ministries such as health, finance, economic development, housing, justice, foreign affairs, education, and agriculture as youth in Nigeria, like any other African country are disadvantaged and marginalized.
The Senior Government Officials Meeting will promote and develop partnerships aimed at fostering young people’s capacities and empowerment and indeed mobilize a variety of stakeholders.
Stressing the importance of youth mainstreaming and why Nigeria seeks to collaborate with CYP in this area, Mr. Kigbu stated “Nigeria has a youth population of 80,000,000. Therefore by reflecting, addressing, being sensitive and responsive to youth issues and involving them in the making of policies that affect them will help confront society's stigmatisation of young people as deviant, criminal and incapable.”
Mrs. Jimeta stated that the government of Nigeria was humbled by the contributions that the CYP RCA was making towards youth development in the region.
CYP Africa Regional Director, Mr. James Odit thanked the Government of Nigeria for accepting to host the Senior Government Officials Meeting. He stated that CYP Africa has enjoyed a warm relationship with Nigeria and no doubt the meeting will be successful. Mr. Odit assured Nigeria that CYP will help establish real partnerships in order to help enhance Nigeria’s young people’s participation and to foster the creation of connections which allow youth to make a difference.
CYP has gone an extra mile to provide assistance to Member States in mainstreaming youth issues into their policies and programmes in order to create spaces and opportunities for empowering young people and giving recognition, visibility and credibility to their contributions.
A follow up meeting has been scheduled for June, in Abuja, Nigeria.
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